§ Sir J. Mellorasked the Postmaster-General whether letters and parcels are reaching British prisoners of war at Benghazi?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonCorrespondence and next-of-kin parcels are being forwarded to British prisoners of war in Benghazi via Italy. Letters pre-paid at the air mail rates of postage are sent all the way to Italy by air. Other letters are sent by sea to Lisbon and thence by air to Italy. Parcels are conveyed by sea to Marseilles and thence overland to Italy. I understand that some letters have got through to the prisoners, but as the despatch of next-of-kin parcels only commenced two months ago there has hardly been sufficient time for any parcels to arrive.
Mrs. Rathboneasked the Postmaster-General whether he will arrange for all communications to relatives of prisoners of war, especially those which contain signed postcards from the prisoners acknowledging receipt of Red Cross parcels, to be sent in closed envelopes, franked by the Government?
§ Mr. MorrisonI assume that my hon. Friend is referring to communications from the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John of Jerusalem to the relatives of prisoners of war. The signed postcards acknowledging receipt of "next of kin "parcels are transmitted openly through the post to the Society, and I understand from the Society that advantage is taken of the lower postage rates for printed papers when forwarding cards to relatives. If my hon. Friend will let me know the reasons underlying her suggestion which I do not fully appreciate, I shall be pleased to ask the Society to consider it. I have no power to grant free postage to the Society.